Limonia acidissima is the only species within the monotypicgenusLimonia. Common names for the species in English include wood-apple and elephant-apple.[3] In India in some regional languages its known as Kavat in Hindi, Kavath in Marathi, kotha in Gujarati, Kaitha/ kaintha in Odia, kabith in Bengali, kaitha in UP/ MP, விளாம்பழம் in Tamil, Kapitthhamu or velagakaya in Telugu, Kapitya (कपित्य) in Sanskrit[4] and so as Divul in Sri Lanka, Kvet in combodia, kawis/kawista in Indonesia (javanese), Kawes in Malaysia.

Contents

Limonia acidissima is a large tree growing to 9 metres (30 ft) tall, with rough, spiny bark. The leaves are pinnate, with 5-7 leaflets, each leaflet 25–35 mm long and 10–20 mm broad, with a citrus-scent when crushed. The flowers are white and have five petals. The fruit is a berry 5–9 cm diameter, and may be sweet or sour. It has a very hard rind which can be difficult to crack open, it appears greenish-brown in colour from outside and contains sticky brown pulp and small white seeds. The fruit looks similar in appearance to the Bael fruit (Aegle marmelos). It contains considerable amount of protein, carbohydrate, ferus, fat, calcium, Vit-B & C etc. 100 g of ripe fruit pulp contains up to 49 KCal.

Limonia acidissima is native to India and Sri Lanka.[6] Some sources include Fiji in the native distribution,[7] but Flora Vitiensis nova dates the species' introduction there to around 1880.[6] The species has also been introduced to Indochina and Malesia.[6][7]

The fruit is used to make a fruit juice with astringent properties and jams. Ripe fruit can be used as "aachar" (smashed with green chilly, sugar and salt only). Another species of this fruits are considered auspicious to be offered to Shiva and Ganesha in pujas. A majority of Hindu temples will have a sacred tree within its compound and is known as the sthala vriksha.